1- to 2-year-old children require

★ Clear and reasonable limits;

★ Opportunities to use large muscles in the arms and legs;

★ Opportunities to use small muscles to manipulate small objects, such as puzzles and stackable toys;

★ Activities that allow them to touch, taste, smell, hear and see new things;

★ Chances to learn about “cause and effect”—that things they do cause other things to happen (for example, stacking blocks too high will cause the blocks to fall);

★ Opportunities to develop and practice their language skills;

★ Opportunities to play with and learn about alphabet letters and numbers; and

★ Opportunities to learn about books and print. 2- to 3-year-old children require opportunities to 

★ Develop hand coordination (for example, by holding crayons and pencils, putting together puzzles or stringing large beads); 

★ Do more things for themselves, such as dressing themselves; 

★ Talk, sing and develop their language skills; 

★ Play with other children and develop their social skills; 

★ Try out different ways to move their bodies;

★ Learn more about printed language and books and how they work;

★ Do things to build vocabulary and knowledge and to learn more about the world, such as taking walks and visiting libraries, museums, restaurants, parks and zoos. 

Resource: www.ed.gov